Traffic instructional means for incorporation in and use with electric traffic signal lights



Oct. 5, 1965 F. A. DAVIS ETAL TRAFFIC INSTRUCTIONAL MEANS FORINCORPORATION IN AND USE WITH ELECTRIC TRAFFIC SIGNAL LIGHTS Filed May22, 1963 TIA/776' 4/667 7/415 50X 2 Sheets-Sheet l INVENTORS Oct. 5,1965 F. A. DAVIS ETAL 3,210,728

TRAFFIC INSTRUCTIONAL MEANS FOR INCORPORATION IN AND USE WITH ELECTRICTRAFFIC SIGNAL LIGHTS Filed May 22, 1965 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 6, l 71/ M J?1/ 1 7 7/ ,4;

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United States Patent TRAFFIC INSTRUCTIONAL MEANS FOR IN- CORPORATION INAND USE WITH ELEC- TRIC TRAFFIC SIGNAL LIGHTS Frank A. Davis, Box 115,Flat Rock, Ind., and Herold H. Losche, 541 Euclid Ave., Greenwood, Ind.Filed May 22, 1963, Ser. No. 282,302 12 Claims. (Cl. 340107) Thisinvention relates to electric traffic signal lights and moreparticularly to means for providing trafiic instruction on the lenses ofthe stop, go, and caution lights of the normal electric traffic signallights used at street or road intersections in addition to the colordirections of the signal.

The commonly used and ordinarily recognized electric trafiic signallights, known throughout the nation, direct motorists by color code whento stop, go, and use caution or prepare to stop. Sidewalks and curbs areoften strewn with additional traffic instructions on signs to notifymotorists-and pedestriansof speed limits, school zones, right turns atcertain times, etc. It is also recognized that conditions may be quitedifferent for different hours of the day and traffic engineers wouldlike to change the traffic pattern, including speed, to meet thesechanging conditions for better or safer flow of trafiic. These changingconditions are only prepared for, if at all, by curb or sidewalk signswhich are also oftentimes obscured by heavy trafiic or by otherobstructions which cause motorists to miss seeing the signs. Also, thecurb or sidewalk signs of instructions to the motorists set up hazardousconditions for that reason that the motorists need most of theirattention on moving tratfic and pedestrians rather than to be distractedin an eye-search for the instructional signs.

The present invention was conceived to remove many of the disadvantagesof the many instructional signs for the motorists by placing theseinstructions in the trafiic light itself where the motorists must lookfor stop, go, and caution color directions. For the purpose of clarityherein trafiic directions will be referred to as those provided by thecolor coded traflic signal of stop, g0, and caution" while all othertratfic information will be referred to as instructions. This inventionfurther contemplates the changes in instructions for dilferent times ofday. For example, the speed limit for city traffic is usually fixed andwell publicized so that curb and sidewalk signs should be unnecessary,but in certain areas, where traflic is exceptionally heavy or there is aschool, it may be desirable to slow down the motoring traffic. Suchtraflic instructions could be, by this invention, given by the green orgo signal at the trafiic intersection. The same timing mechanism thattimes the trafiic signal could be used, or readily adapted, tosuperimpose the additional trafiic instructions on the face of the greenor go signal, such as mph, an arrow instructing all trafiic to go right,etc. In this invention means are shown and described to acutate a flag,panel, or curtain over the face of the traffic signal light, preferablythe green or go signal light, although the yellow caution or red stoplights could be used where appropriate, with written instructionsthereon. These instructions may be in symbol form, such as arrowsshowing the direction that traffic must take, speed limits abbreviated,or

school notice with a speed limit. The flag, panel, or curtain isactuated by an electric motor, such as a solenoid or rotary motor, incircuit with the timing mechanism of the traffic signal. The timingmechanisms are usually synchronous clock motors which drive the electricswitches of the trafiic signal. Electric switches could be readily addedto cause the motor actuator of the flag, panel, or curtain to besuperimposed over the preferred light of the trafiic signal light atpredetermined hours. This puts all the important trafiic informationbefore the motorist who, needless to say, must watch the traflic signalfor proper openation of his vehicle. It is therefore a general object ofthis invention to provide the presently used and operated electrictraffic signals with traffic instructional flags, panels, or curtainsoperative in conjunction with the timing mechanism of the electrictraific signal, to additionally instruct motorists as to a trafiicregulation along with the red stop, yellow caution, or green go colordirections of the signal.

These and other objects, advantages, features, and usesof this inventionwill become more apparent to those skilled in the art as the detaileddescription proceeds when considered along with the drawings, in which:

FIGURE 1 illustrates a common electric traflic signal with aninstructional flag or panel superimposed over the lens of the green orgo signal;

FIGURE 2 illustrates a side view of the FIGURE 1 view, or 90 degrees ofthe FIGURE 1 view, to show the external solenoid operators;

FIGURE 3 is an enlarged view of the flagor panel and operator of FIGURES1 and 2 with the trafiic signal housing shown broken away;

FIGURE 4 illustrates an enlarged view of a flag or panel having atraffic instruction thereon;

FIGURE 5 illustrates a means for operating three different flags orpanels at different hours by rotary electric motors;

FIGURE 6 illustrates the use of paired internal flags or panelsmotorized by a rotary electric motor;

FIGURES 7 and 8 illustrate different types of paired flags or panels anddifferent trafiic instructions for internal use in the traffic lighthousings as shown in FIG- URE 6;

FIGURES 9 and 10 illustrate a modification of hinged flags or panelsthat could be used internally of a trafiic signal housing and the motivemeans therefor;

FIGURE 11 shows a face view of the hinged flag or panel used in FIGURES9 and 10; and

FIGURES l2 and 13 illustrate a further modification of a curtain typeflag or panel, FIGURE 12 showing the flag or panel in operative displayposition while FIG- URE 13 shows the flag or panel in the inoperative ornon-display position.

Referring more particularly to FIGURES 1, 2, and 3, there is shown inFIGURE 1 one face view of an electric trafiic signal having four facesfor a cross street intersection. The trafiic signal 20 is supported by asteel post 21, shown broken away for illustrative purposes, althoughsome are suspended by cables or other means in actual practice. Thesignal has the usual three vertical lights, the upper of which is with ared lens 22 for stop signalling, a middle yellow caution lens 23 forcaution signalling, and a lower green lens 24 for go signalling.

On the lower green lens 24 is a flag or panel 25 of opaque or slightlytransparent material, such as plastic or metal, with a transparent orcut-out portion of straight up and right arrows 26. FIGURE 2 shows aview of FIGURE 1 turned degrees. FIGURE 3 illustrates an enlargedsectional view of the traflic signal of FIGURES l and 2 more clearlyshowing the flag or panel 25 and the instructional traffic symbol 26thereon. The flag or panel 25 is hinged at the top 27 with shaft endsbeing journaled in bearing caps 28. The shaft hinge connected to theflag or panel 25 extends through the left bearing cap 28 to which end isfastened a lever arm 29. This lever arm is linked by 36 to the plungerof a solenoid 31, the solenoid coil 32 being fastened in any suitablemanner to the frame of the traffic signal. The solenoid coil has leads33 that may be connected to the traflic signal timing mechanism toactuate the flag or panel down over the green lens 24 at designatedtimes of the day. The solenoid is of the type having a spring 34 thereinto bias the plunger 31 outwardly in the unenergized condition to raisethe flag or panel 25, as shown in FIGURE 2, or it may be of the lockingtype which will remain in either of its two positions. The particulartraffic instruction shown, when the solenoid 32 is energized and theflag 25 is down, is that traffic may only go straight through or to theright. With the flag 25 up it functions as a hood over the green lens.It may be presumed that traffic may normally flow left, right, andstraight through with the flag 25 up. It may be readily understood thatthe timing mechanism could be set to change the traffic pattern two,three, or more times during the day to suit conditions.

FIGURE 4 shows a flag or panel only, which may be used in the FIGURES l,2, or 3 examples, to change the speed limit during certain times of theday, for example, from a 40 mph. speed limit to a 30 mph. speed limit asshown in the figure. FIGURE shows still another flag or panel trafiicinstructional sign, that of a curve, which indicates that traflic mayonly go to the right at a Y intersection during the hours that the flagis covering the green lens of the traflic signal. FIGURE 5 alsoillustrates that as many as three flags or panels, giving threedifferent instructions, at different times of the day, may be used. Theflag or panel 25 is shown in the effective display position, while theflags or panels 25a and 25b are shown in the ineffective or non-displaypositions. Further, FIGURE 5 shows the flags actuatable by rotaryelectric motors 40 with Worm gears 41 in engagement with pinion gears onthe flag or panel shafts. Each motor 40 will be wired to the timingmechanism of the traflic signal for sequential operation at differenttimes of the day as necessity requires.

FIGURES 6, 7, and 8 illustrate another modification of the flag or paneltraflic instruction which may be used, preferably inside the traflrcsignal housing. In this modification, the flag or panel is in two piecesand operated as two oppositely hinged paired doors 45, 45 and 46, 46.When the paired flags or panels are operated to be in alignment in thebeam of the green lens of the traffic signal, their adjacent edges touchor lap to provide the traffic instruction, as shown in FIGURES 7 and 8.In this modification, one electric rotary motor 47 is used to operatethe paired panels or flags 45 and 46 on opposite faces of the green lensthrough shafts 48 and worm gears 49 cooperating with small pinion gearson the flag or panel shaft hinges, as well understood by those skilledin the art. The signal lights and reflectors 50 can readily bepositioned to allow clearance for the paired flags or panels 45 and 46.

FIGURES 9, 10, and 11 illustrate another modification of the invention,still carrying out the fundamental concept of providing trafficinstruction to the motorists, or others involved, in addition to thestop, go, and caution directions in color. In this modification, theflag or panel is separated into two hinged half-sections 55-56 and 5758to decrease the operating space from the space required by the earliermodifications. The four sections of flags or panels, 5558, are pivotedat their outer top corners 59, 60, 61, and 62, the pivots 59 and 62being to bearing supports 63 and 64, respectively, for a screw threadedactuator shaft 65. The pivots 6t and 61 are pivoted, respectively, totwo travelling blocks 66 and 67 which are threadedly journaled on theshaft 65. The threaded shaft 65 is oppositely threaded over each halfsection so that rotation in one rotative direction causes the blocks 66and 67 to travel away from each other, and when the shaft 65 is rotatedin the other rotative direction, the blocks 66 and 67 will travel towardeach other. Limit switches 68 and 69 break the motor circuit for eachrotative direction as the panels or flags reach the fully opennon-display or fully closed display positions. As illustrated in FIGURE9, a reversible rotary electric motor 7 0 drives a pinion 71 on thethreaded shaft 65 by a worm gear on the motor shaft, shown and describedfor the other figures. FIGURE 9 also shows the reflector 72 and lightbulb 73 in position. FIGURE 11 shows a face view with the sectionedflags or panels in closed display position over the green lens of thetraflic signal with the traffic symbol instruction thereon indicatingthat only straight through traflic or left turn traflic may proceed whenthe green light is illuminated. It is also to be understood that themotor 70 is circuited through the limit switches to the timing mechanismof the traffic signal as disclosed for the preceding figures.

FIGURES 12 and 13 illustrate a still further modification of a curtaintype of flag or panel to be pulled over the face, or back side, of thegreen lens of the traflic light. The curtain 84) may be of a slightlytransparent or opaque material with a transparent or cut-out portion 81of figures or letters giving traflic instructions. The curtain 80 isrollable upon a window-blind type roller 82 that is normally springbiased to roll the curtain 80 thereon, and without any catches as foundin window-blinds. The curtain 80 has a cord or other suitable means 83looped from each outer corner, the mid portion being fastened in anysuitable manner to the mid-point of a second roller 85 journaled inbearings 86. The roller 82 is likewise journaled in bearings 87, thebearings 86 and 87 being supported on the housing of the traffic signal(not shown) as by bolts or in any other suitable manner. The roller 85has a shaft extension thereon with a small pinion gear that is in meshwith the worm gear 88 of an electric rotary motor 89. The motor 89 isenergizable through the timing mechanism of the traflic signal in thesame manner as described for the prior figures. Limit switches could bepositioned in any suitable manner to limit curtain travel in eachdirection, as well understood by those skilled in the art. FIGURE 12shows the curtain 80 unrolled to expose or display the trafficinstruction from the green lens 90, while FIGURE 13 shows the curtain 80rolled up to expose the whole green lens 90' and non-display of thetraffic instruction. The cord 83 in the rolling and unrolling operation,by virtue of its central attachment to the roller 85, will not crosscords to foul the operation.

It is to be understood that the traflic instructions shown on thevarious figures are for example only herein and that any designation,symbol, figure or figures, letter or letters, and words may be used onthe variously used flags, panels, or curtains as deemed appropriate ornecessary in carrying out the inventive concept. By these means trafficinstructions, in addition to the stop, go, and caution color directions,can be communicated to the drivers of vehicles and pedestrians alikewhich will eliminate the necessity of looking two or more places fortraflic regulations in the area.

While many modifications and changes may be made in the constructionaldetails and features of this invention, as illustrated in the preferredembodiments herein, in the actual practice of the inventive conceptherein, it is to be understood that We desire to be limited only in thespirit and scope of the appended claims.

We claim:

1. A traflic instructional means for an electric traffic light signal inaddition to stop, go, and caution traflic light directions, comprising:

traflic instructional unit means having a substantially light imperviousportion around a traffic instruction and of at least as great an area asthe trafiic light beam and transparent portions constituting the trafficinstruction therein, said traflic instructional unit means beingattached to said electric trafiic light signal for interposition in thelight beam of selected lights of said electric traffic light signal fordisplay of the traffic instructions therein along with said traflicdirections and for retraction of said trafi'ic instructional unit meansfrom display within said light beam of the selected lights of saidtraffic light signal to allow display of said trafiic directions alone;

motive means mechanically coupled to said traffic instructional unitmeans for driving said trafiic instructional unit means into display andnon-display position; and

means electrically coupling said motive means to a timing means to timethe effective display time that said trafiic instructional unit means isinterposed in the traffic light beam and non-display time that saidtraffic instructional unit means is out of the traffic light beamwhereby trafiic instructions, in addition to said traflic directions,are effective when said traffic instructional means are in displayposition.

2. A timed traflic instructional means for an electric traffic lightsignal in addition to the stop, go, and caution traffic lightdirections, comprising:

rigid panels each having a substantially light impervious portion andtransparent portions designating traffic instructions thereon, each ofsaid rigid panels being hingedly attached to said electric traflic lightsignal and actuatable into and out of the path of the trafiic directionlights for display and non-display positions, respectively, of saidtraffic instructions;

electric motive means for actuating said panels to said display andnon-display that said traffic instructional means is interposed in thetraffic light beam position that said trailic instructional means is outof the traffic light beam; and

electric timing means coupled to said electric motive means to time theeffective periods of display and non-display of said trafiicinstructions whereby traftic instructions are displayed when said panelsare actuated to the display position in addition to said traflicdirections by the traffic lights in whose beams said traflicinstructions are interposed.

3. A timed trafiic instructional means as set forth in claim 2 whereinsaid electric timing means are incorporated in the timing mechanism ofsaid electric traffic light signal.

4. A timed trafiic instructional means as set forth in claim 3 whereinsaid panels are in plurality for each light beam of a single trafiicdirection light and actuatable into display position in sequence wherebytraffic instructions for different sequential periods are effective.

5. A timed traffic instructional means set forth in claim 4- whereinsaid hinged attachments of said panels to said electric trafiic lightsignal are each a shaft fixed to a panel and journaled on said electrictraflic light signal housing with a gear on said shaft; and

said electric motive means are electric rotary motors,

each having a gear on its shaft in mesh with one each of said gears onsaid shafts fixed to a panel, whereby each motor is operative to actuateits associated panel and said motors are operative to be energized in apredetermined sequence.

6. A timed tralfic instructional means as set forth in claim 2 whereinsaid electric timing means is incorporated in the timing mechanism ofsaid electric traflic light signal;

said hinged attachments of said panels to said electric t r 6 t t andjournaled on said electric traffic light signal housing with a leveraflixed on each shaft; and

said electric motive means are solenoids having the plunger thereofpivotally coupled to each shaft lever fixedto a panel, whereby eachsolenoid is operative to actuate each associated panel and saidsolenoids are operative to be energized in sequence.

7. A traflic instructional means for an electric traffic light signal inaddition to the stop, go, and caution traffic light directions,comprising:

pairs of foldable panels, each pair having a substantially lightimpervious portion and transparent portions therein designating trafficinstructions, and each pair being pivotally suspended from the top outercorners thereof to journal blocks, the outermost journal blocks beingsupported within the housing of the electric traffic light signal abovethe go light;

a shaft journaled in the two outermost journal blocks, said shaft havinga gear wheel centrally thereof and oppositely threaded on opposite halfportions, each opposite threaded half portion thereof having the otherjournal blocks threadedly journaled thereon to cause said other journalblocks to travel toward and away from each other as said shaft: isrotated in either of its two rotative directions thereby folding andunfolding said foldable panels for display and non-display positions,respectively, of said trafiic instructions;

rotary motor means having a gear on the shaft thereof in mesh with thegear wheel of said shaft to rotate said shaft in its two rotativedirections; and

circuit timing means coupled to said rotary motor for energization atprescribed timed intervals to drive said foldable panels into saiddisplay and non-display positions whereby each go direction of saidelectric tralfic light signal will also display an additional trafficinstruction when said foldable panels are driven to the displayposition.

8. A timed electric t-r aflic instructional means as set forth in claim7 wherein said circuit timing means is incorporated in the timingmechanism of said electric traffic signal to time the display andnon-display periods of the traflic instructions during the day.

9. A timed electric traflic instructional means as set forth in claim 8wherein said circuit timing means include limit switches in the circuitthereof actuatable by said traveling blocks to break the circuit to saidrotary motor at each limit of travel of the traveling journaled blocksalong said threaded shaft.

10. A timed trafiic instructional means for an electric trafiic lightsignal in addition to the stop, go, and caution traffic lightdirections, comprising:

a curtain of substantially light impervious material having transparentportions therein designating traflic instructions, said curtain beingbiased to rolled-up position on a roller supported within the housing ofsaid electric traflic light signal adjacent to path of a traflic lightbeam;

a second roller driven in reversible rotational directions by anelectric motor, said second roller having cord means attached theretoand to said curtain to cause said curtain to be unrolled to a displayposition and to be allowed to return to said rolled-up non-displayposition to effect the display of traffic instrgctions and thenon-display thereof, respectively; an

timing means circuited to said electric motor to time the display andnon-display periods of said traffic instructions whereby traificinstructions are displayed during prescribed periods in addition to thetrafiic directions of the electric trafiic light signal.

11. A timed trafiic instructional means as set forth in traflic lightsignal are each a shaft fixed to a panel 7 claim 10 wherein 7 8 saidtiming means is incorporated in the timing mecha- References Cited bythe Examiner nism Of said electric traffic signal.

12. A timed trafiic instructional means as set forth in Claim 11 wherein1,846,987 2/32 Boor 340-43 said second roller has a gear wheel thereonin mesh 2138545 11/38 Hess 340-583 with a gear on the shaft of saidelectric motor to 2,127,636 5/39 Shaw 34O 43 X drive said second rollerin reversible rotational di- 5728 3/41 Ramspeck 340-43 rections. NEIL C.READ, Primary Examiner.

1. A TRAFFIC INSTRUCTIONAL MEANS FOR AN ELECTRIC TRAFFIC LIGHT SIGNAL INADDITION TO "STOP," "GO," AND "CAUTION" TRAFFIC LIGHT DIRECTIONS,COMPRISING: TRAFFIC INSTRUCTIONAL UNIT MEANS HAVING A SUBSTANTIALLYLIGHT IMPERVIOUS PORTION AROUND A TRAFFIC INSTRUCTION AND OF AT LEAST ASGREAT AN AREA AS THE TRAFFIC LIGHT BEAM AND TRANSPARENT PORTIONSCONSTITUTING THE TRAFFIC INSTRUCTION THEREIN, SAID TRAFFICEINSTRUCTIONAL UNIT MEANS BEING ATTACHED TO SAID ELECTRIC TRAFFIC LIGHTSIGNAL FOR INTERPOSITION IN THE LIGHT BEAM OF SELECTED LIGHTS OF SAIDELECTRIC TRAFFIC LIGHT SIGNAL FOR DISPLAY OF THE TRAFFIC INSTRUCTIONSTHEREIN ALONG WITH SAID TRAFFIC DIRECTIONS AND FOR RETRACTION OF SAIDTRAFFIC INSTRUCTIONAL UNIT MEANS FROM DISPLAY WITHIN SAID LIGHT BEAM OFTHE SELECTED LIGHTS OF SAID TRAFFIC